Description
Two small engines help you up the mountain more easily than one. Together they have 850cc and approximately 25 hp, with which they move 755 kg. Quite light for an off-road vehicle. Garage Dubugnon in Martigny, Switzerland saw the potential and used a second-hand Sahara as a service vehicle. It made (height) meters in the Swiss Alps. Now it is in our garage, after more than 50 years of inactivity.
According to the Swiss registration, this Sahara first hit the road on October 29, 1962. Back then it was still Gris Clair and equipped like the French models, except for the indicators. On most Swiss Saharas these were screwed onto the front fenders. Furthermore, it has the special green upholstery and of course the gear lever on the floor and the double ignition locks with start buttons.
In 1971 it was employed by Dubugnon, who immediately painted it in Jaune Service in accordance with the Citroën corporate identity. The stickers with the company name made its role even clearer and the tow bar completed it. Why did the sturdy bonnet with spare wheel have to make way for a standard ribbed hood? Maybe for better visibility? The back seat is also missing, perhaps to make room for tools. After all, you couldn't put it in the trunk anymore because a spare engine was already there...
Wild Pirelli tires with a coarse profile were mounted, rougher tires than the large 155/ 400 Michelins that were standard. The service was ended in '74, when its pension was mentioned on the registration card. Cars from that period rusted like they meant it, we heard of more Saharas that were taken out of service in the late 60s or early 70s due to missing metal and ended up in storage or with enthusiasts.
Mr. Dubugnon kept it. Until 1999, when he exported it to the Netherlands. Here it ended up in a large collection in Zeeland, where it would wait for a new life for more than 20 years. A few years ago the plan was made to give it this new life. The car was carefully dismantled and various parts of the body were cut loose. Then the restoration came to a standstill due to the death of the owner.
When the car came to us in parts, we first reassembled it as much as possible to see how complete it was. It also made it a lot more presentable. Apart from the bonnet and the back seat, the car is largely complete and a nice basis for restoration.
The original engines and gearboxes are present as well as the rare carburetors. Even the rear bumper - once dismantled for the tow bar - is included. The body and sheet metal need a lot of work, but the chassis is miraculously still in pristine condition.
It is for sale as it is, but can of course also be restored in our workshop. Thanks to the previous restorations we did, we also have examples of the missing parts, which can therefore be rebuilt. And then the question that can keep you awake; Will it return to the grey it wore for 9 years or the yellow that has defined its identity for 53 years? Think about that carefully – but not for decades.
